1. Related Inventions
______________________________________ TITLE Ser. No. FILING DATE ______________________________________ Fine Point Tip Applicator 07/888,055 May 22, 1992 For Craft Paint Self Adjusting Soft Seal 07/888,059 May 22, 1992 Cap For Fine Point Craft Paint Applicators Craft Paint For Forming 07/887,699 May 22, 1992 High Resolution Designs Craft Paint System For 07/887,289 May 22, 1992 Forming Fine Designs and Method Therefor ______________________________________
2. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of craft paint applicators and particularly to the field of caps for craft paint applicators.
3. Statement of the Problem
There is great interest in forming stylized decorative designs on surfaces, such as fabrics, wood, leather, painted, and vinyl surfaces as well as other surfaces, through the use of craft paints. Craft pants are widely used since a colorful design can be quickly created on a variety of surfaces. In craft painting, the design is not necessarily limited to a pattern since normally the design is painted by free hand style. The design can thus be creative and colorful. Alternatively, craft painting can be applied by the use of patterns to create a particular design. Typically, these designs require a craft paint applicator, particularly for use in creating stylized decorative designs on a surface by applying a plurality of discrete beads in differing colors to form an image having a high degree of resolution and color saturation. Each of these beads include a uniform homogenous shape to form a dimensional, textured appearance. The term "uniform" as used herein refers to beads having a regular size and a smooth rounded substantially spherical shape.
One such design 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1. Design 10 is created on surface 12, such as fabric, by a plurality of beads 14 of differing colors. Each of the beads 14 has the uniform homogenous shape discussed above, which is shown in FIG. 2; the beads form a color dot matrix image having a high degree of resolution. A fine tip applicator tip is required in order to create the beads necessary to form such an image.
Several problems have occurred in forming these finely detailed designs due to the conventional applicators of the prior art craft paints. The conventional craft paint applicators are always maintained upright when stored and not actually in use. Craft paint may drain out of the applicator tip if the applicator is not maintained upright. This creates a mess on and around the applicator tip. As shown in FIG. 3, conventional craft paint applicator 30 is stored vertically upright. Even during the craft painting process, the applicator bottle 32 is maintained vertically with the applicator tip 38 upright when not actually in use. This causes the craft paint 34 to flow downward away from applicator tip 38 thus creating an air pocket 36 between applicator tip 38 and the remaining craft paint 34. The craft paint that remains on the sides of applicator tip 38 due to surface friction tends to dry which then clogs (fully or partially) the applicator tip 38. Then, as applicator 30 is tilted for use, as shown in FIG. 4, craft paint 34 flows downward as indicated by the arrows 37 through the air pocket and against applicator tip 38. The air pocket 36a is re-formed at the upward end of the tilted applicator 30 which creates air bubbles 39 dispersed through craft paint 34. Some of the air bubbles 39a may be carried through the craft paint out of applicator tip 38 creating an undesirable "sputtering", "spitting" or "popping" of the craft paint onto the application surface as discussed below.
In creating the beads 14 for color dot matrix design 10, it is essential that air bubbles 39 do not disrupt the flow of craft paint and that paint in the dispensing end of the applicator tip does not become dry. The movement of the fluid craft paint and air creates problems in the application of craft paint, particularly in creating finely-detailed designs requiring a fine tip applicator. The movement of the liquid craft paint and the air pocket within the applicator forms air bubbles in the craft paint as the applicator bottle is tilted vertically in either direction. As the craft paint is applied, the air bubbles formed in the craft paint cause "spitting" and "burping" to occur in the flow of craft paint. This causes the craft paint to splatter on the application surface. The air bubbles can also cause the flow to "pop", i.e., create an air bubble which bursts on contact with the application surface so as to create a bead with a crater in it. These effects cause the craft paint to be applied incorrectly and disrupt the entire design. The formation of air bubbles is particularly a problem in fine applications such as beads. The beads are formed in non-uniform, irregular shapes and sizes due to the air bubbles.
Experienced craft paint users will wait for the air bubbles to move upwards through the craft paint after inversion of the bottle to avoid this problem. However, this consumes time and can lead to frustration on the part of the user in repeatedly having to wait for the paint to be ready for use.
The accumulation of air inside applicator bottle and applicator tip forming an air pocket also tends to dry the craft paint within the applicator tip. The dried paint restricts the flow of the craft paint out of the applicator tip as well as introduce turbulence in the flow due to the obstructions formed by the dried paint. This causes the flow to be irregular and much more difficult to control. The restricted flow also requires increased hand pressure to force the craft paint through the restricted applicator tip which can result in the clogged flow breaking free and dispensing too much paint, thus creating a mess on the application surface. The increased hand pressure can lead to fatigue as well which reduces the enjoyment of creating a design. These problems are especially critical in fine tip applicators having much smaller orifices necessary for detailed applications.
In order to prevent the craft paint from drying on and within an applicator tip, many applicators secure a cap over the applicator tip. A problem with these conventional craft paint applicators occurs from inadequate sealing of the dispensing end of the craft paint applicator tip by the cap. Inadequate sealing of the dispensing end of the applicator tip will allow air to circulate within the applicator tip causing craft paint to dry within the applicator tip.
The conventional craft paint applicators require a two-handed operation to place a cap on the applicator tip even for temporary storage. The user must use one hand to hold the applicator bottle while securing a cap on the applicator bottle with the other hand. This can be awkward when actively creating a design as well as occasionally causing the user's hands to be covered with paint from the cap when alternating use with more than one applicator.
The craft paint applicators of the prior art are easily knocked over which can lead to spillage as well as problems in storing these applicators. The shape of the applicator bottles, particularly oval-shaped bottles which are often preferred due to the ease of use, are inherently unstable. This is particularly a problem when there are several applicators in use to create different color schemes since, for efficiency, the caps of the applicators may remain removed throughout the creative process.
Thus, a problem exists in that, at present, there is no craft paint applicator that minimizes the formation of air bubbles in the craft paint as well as drying of the craft paint within the applicator tip. This problem of drying of the craft paint within the applicator tip becomes especially critical in the application of craft paint for finely detailed designs. In order to provide high degree of resolution to the appearance of the painted design, particularly when discrete beads of the craft paint are applied, the craft paint must be applied in a uniform fashion. Typically, finely detailed designs require the use of an applicator having a fine tip which are particularly affected by the problems with air bubbles and dried paint. Other problems with the prior craft paint applicators include the lack of a ready-to-use applicator and stability of these applicators. All of these problems tend to lessen the enjoyment of creating designs by craft paint application.
4. Solution to the Problem
The present invention solves this problem and others by providing an inverted cap, which also serves as a holder for craft paint applicator bottles, which minimizes the formation of air bubbles in the craft paint to enhance the creation of designs having a high degree of resolution. The applicator is sold, used, and stored with the cap inverted and with the applicator tip directed downward into the cap.
The applicator of the present invention includes a cap which minimizes drying of craft paint within the applicator tip.
The cap of the applicator effectively seals the dispensing end of the applicator tip to minimize air drying within the applicator tip and leakage out of the applicator tip.
The cap of the present invention also serves as a holder which provides a stable platform for storing and repeated use of the applicator. The cap is circular in shape having a diameter equal to the largest diameter of the oval shaped applicator so as to be stable at all positions of application insertion.
The applicator holder of the present invention maintains the applicator in a ready-to-use, inverted position to eliminate formation of air pockets and air bubbles in the craft paint.
The applicator holder of the present invention holds the applicator in an inverted ready position for immediate use without the need to wait for the craft paint to flow to the applicator tip or to minimize air bubbles in the craft paint during initial and repeated use.
These and other features of the present invention will be evident in the ensuing drawings and description.